Sources close to Vincent Tan are strongly denying rumours that the Malaysian businessman is preparing to sell Cardiff City.
New York-based media company Bloomberg have reported that Tan is ready to sell the Bluebirds, his stake in Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles FC plus FK Sarajevo in Bosnia and Belgian club KV Kortrijk.
There has not been any official comment by Cardiff City officials, but the club stance is strong and they are adamant the reports are way off target.
The reports suggest Tan is looking to sell Cardiff for around £50m, but that is only around a quarter of the financial backing he has put into the club.
Tan has publicly backed manager Neil Warnock, who has signed a new one-year contract after being told he will have the backing needed to launch a Championship promotion challenge next season.
That is unlikely to be a massive amount, but Warnock has made it clear he believes a push to go up is possible given the positive talks he has had with Tan, club chairman Mehmet Dalman and chief executive Ken Choo.
Bloomberg’s report said: “Embattled soccer owner Vincent Tan is throwing in the towel.
“The Malaysian businessman is selling the one-time Premier League team Cardiff City and his stake in Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles FC, as well as professional teams in Bosnia and Belgium, according to people familiar with the offerings.
“Tan, who leads the Malaysian conglomerate Berjaya Group, has grown increasingly unpopular with Cardiff fans since buying the team in 2010.
“Under his ownership, the team was promoted to the Premier League, then relegated to the second division again, where it’s currently in the middle of the table.”
Warnock has certainly put a smile on the faces of most Bluebirds fans, who believe he is the right man to lead them into 2017-18.
Cardiff are now in the top half of the Championship table and travel to play Queens Park Rangers this Saturday.
Tan is still having to help financially on a regular basis to keep Cardiff City on an even keel, while there are no longer any Premier Division parachute payments due to the club.
But, having said he will back Warnock in a push for promotion, it seems unlikely Tan would now be looking to change his mind.